PD non-motor symptoms are often the most troublesome and precede the PD diagnosis by many years: constipation, urinary urgency/frequency, sleep disorder, cramping, sweat/dizzy spells, etc.

after chatting briefly with angie missaga i'm realizing how little she/we/people know about PD, and she works with neurologists, specializes in rx for sleep issues at the VA and knows alot.  this post incl a few points i shared with her ex how non-motor and invisible issues are the bigger issue and outnumber motor issues x3.  and that people with PD are unique like snowflakes, no two are alike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqQdAVS-W20
A message of hope for people with Parkinson's disease - 23min

M Health Fairview

4:35  the first symptom most think of with PD is tremors, but some with PD do not have tremors.  people with PD are unique like snowflakes, no two are alike.  5:20  you may even experience some non-motor symptoms decades before being diagnosed.  its nearly impossible to predict how a person's disease will progress.   6:11  motor symptoms (4 main):  tremors, stiffness, slowness, balance.   6:30  tremors are involuntary shaking. 7:15  rigidity/stiffness when brain no longer sends signal to muscles to relax which lead to pain/cramping/tightness.  specially in neck/shoulder/leg. 7:30  body moves slowly ex in blinking (reduced), facial expressions, arm swing, drooling due to reduced swallowing.  it causes problems with activities of daily living ex buttoning a shirt, cutting food, brushing teeth.  speech may get quieter, less distinct, handwriting shaky/smaller.   8:12  difficulty standing/moving/balance.  may have stooped posture, all can lead to higher risk of falls when walking or standing up.  PD impacts the reflexes needed to maintain an upright position, can lead to a fall if jostled slightly.  can make getting out of chairs or bed very difficult. 8:53  you can feel 'frozen in place' unable to move your feet from the floor.  quick movements or turns can become a dangerous phenomena for you. 9:03  non-motor symptoms can often precede the PD diagnosis by many years.  some common ones incl constipation, urinary urgency and frequency, REM behavior sleep disorder, sense of smell, sexual dysfunction, depression, anxiety. 9:34  often its non-motor symptoms that are most troublesome and impact lives greatly.   9:50  treatment 11:35  when taking rx, log how long it takes for them to work, how long it takes for symptoms to return and any side effects.  there are phone apps that can help do it. 11:55  as PD progresses you will find the rx wont work as well or as long aka 'wears off', so you'll need higher doses or stronger rx.   12:45  rx side effects.  common side fx incl nausea, light-headedness, edema leg swelling, sleep issues.  if any rx cause hallucination, confusion, tell MD.  some develop compulsive behaviors ex compulsive shopping, gambling, sex urges or binge eating from dopamine replacement/agonists. 14:05  knowing when you took your rx and how you responded.  so a symptoms tracker app is handy.   14:20  types of meds. 15:10  common terms. 15:57  dyskinesias: involuntary twisting, writhing, wiggly motions caused by the dopamine meds (generally after 5 years).   16:30  dystonia is involuntary sustained muscle contraction that causes an abnormal sustained posture. 17:44  15-20min aerobic activities and strength training.  18:11  exercise benefits... 18:51  DBS deep brain stim (last resort brain implant surgery when meds stop working) 20:54  support groups provide empathy and friendship.  get involved with research.